Archangel's Fire
Table of Contents
Also by L.G. Castillo
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Archangel’s Fire
L.G. Castillo
Contents
Also by L.G. Castillo
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Also by L.G. Castillo
BROKEN ANGEL SERIES
Lash (Broken Angel #1)
After the Fall (Broken Angel #2)
Before the Fall (Broken Angel #3)
Jeremy (Broken Angel #4)
Golden Angel (Broken Angel #5)
Copyright © 2017 by L.G. Castillo
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
1
When I was five, my mother killed my sister.
Racing my horse, Mika, toward the Kissing Tree, I fought the urge to look at the last place Hannah had twirled me around as we played, her golden hair flying wildly in the wind as we spun, and focused instead on the white-peaked mountaintops.
Cool air slapped against my cheeks as Mika dashed passed the huge oak. From the corner of my eyes, I saw one of its thick branches kissing the lush green grass, bringing back aching memories. Hannah’s throaty laughter, the way the corners of her eyes crinkled when she smiled, and her sweet voice were seared in my mind—just as the slash marks on the tree’s trunk from Sylas’s sword when he tried to protect Hannah from the guardian angels who took her.
Gritting my teeth against the heaviness filling my chest, I urged Mika to go faster. We sprinted through the middle of the tiny village that sat at the foot of one of the mountains surrounding what we called the Sanctuary. Chickens squawked, and people and angels scrambled to get out of the way, chorusing their annoyance as we flew by.
“They’re at it again.”
“Tovah should do something about it.”
“Watch it, Senna!”
“Look, Mom. Senna is winning. Go, Senna!”
The heaviness inside me lifted at the sound of Lily’s ecstatic voice. Her freckled face beamed as she bounced and waved, sending most of the eggs in her basket to the ground.
“Hey, you’re supposed to be on my side, lil’ sis,” a voice called.
I looked over my shoulder and laughed. Lukas, my best friend and the person who had betted I could never beat him, was at least fifty yards behind me. This was going to be epic. He was never going to tease me about being too small again—even if I did only come up to the bottom of his chin. And this time, he’d have no excuse about taking me hunting with him. Why bother teaching me how to use a crossbow if I didn’t get a chance to use it?
“Lily’s one smart cookie. She knows to cheer for the best,” I yelled back.
Mika’s powerful legs galloped swiftly away from the center of town and toward the village’s vegetable garden. A couple of angels worked alongside Lukas’s parents and other people, gathering food. Spotting us, Lukas’s mother brushed back her red hair and elbowed Lukas’s father. They waved after us.
We headed into the open meadow filled with willowy grass and wildflowers. The familiar row of poplar trees emerged, their slender trunks circling the perimeter of the Sanctuary and marking its boundary. They stood tall and firm like guards protecting their inhabitants. To the right was the library, our agreed upon finish line.
“Come on, Mika. We’re going to do it this time.” Just as I was about to turn the horse, an odd flickering light caught my attention.
I squinted, wondering if I was imagining things. The light was too bright for it to be from a candle or lantern. Big John, one of the guardians who was also the Sanctuary’s historian and teacher, had taught us about electricity that existed about twenty years ago before the angel-witch war destroyed most of the wires it traveled on. Only the adults in the Sanctuary remembered.
I turned my head to get a better look. It was as if a translucent fabric hung like a curtain outside the boundary of poplar trees. Through what looked like a rip, the strange light flashed again. A sandy substance briefly replaced the grassy field. It was gone in an instant.
“Don’t be too sure about that, squirt.” Lukas chuckled as his black horse, Milo, easily zoomed past us.
Damn it! I directed Mika toward the library, motioning her to speed up. She was having none of it. Annoyance radiated from her as she trotted toward a smug Lukas.
“Well, ladies, I guess I was right.” His gray eyes danced teasingly. “If you want speed, strength, and devastatingly handsome good looks,” Lukas flashed a lopsided grin, “you come to us. Right, Milo?” He patted his horse’s silky black head.
I rolled my eyes as I got off Mika. At least she didn’t throw me off like the last time she lost to Milo.
“Yeah, whatever,” I said, smoothing down my short hair.
“Aw, did I hurt your feelings?” He lifted my too-long bangs, peeking underneath at my mossy-green eyes.
“No.” Annoyed, I slapped his hand away and patted my hair back down over my forehead. “I’m perfectly fine.”
“Hey, I wasn’t the one who suggested the loser take over cleaning out the horse stalls for a month.”
“I know. It was five minutes ago,” I grumbled, digging into the leather pouch tied around my waist. After retrieving a couple of sugar cubes, I held them out to Mika, hoping she’d stop glaring at me.
“By the way, when I asked you to go riding with me, it wasn’t to race. You don’t have to make everything into a competition, you know.”
“Yeah, well, I hate cleaning the stalls.”
He laughed. “Then why did you make a bet? You only had stall duty for a week.”
“I thought we’d win.” Mika immediately whinnied and yanked herself away from me. The reins slipped out of my hands.
“I didn’t mean it, Mika.” I snatched my crossbow fro
m the saddle before she trotted away. She was so sensitive. Mika hated losing to Milo just as much as I hated losing to Lukas.
“Come back!” I whistled. Most of the time when I did that, she’d come galloping to me. She didn’t even pause.
“See what you did. It’ll be weeks before she’ll let me ride her again. I’m going to have to beg for some gingerbread cookies from your mom.” Mika loved those cookies. To be honest, so did I.
“No need for that.” He climbed back onto the saddle. “Come on, Milo. Let’s go get her.”
“Leave her alone. She’s probably just going to sulk at her favorite spot along the lake.”
He shook his head. “We can’t risk it. If she leaves the Sanctuary, we might not be able to get her back. You know the rules.”
Hannah’s gentle face fluttered through my mind. Of course I knew them.
It wasn’t until a couple of years after Hannah’s death that I realized she wasn’t my sister and Tovah, the one who raised me, wasn’t my mother. They were guardian angels. The guardians ruled over the Sanctuary and Tovah was the leader.
There were only two rules in the Sanctuary. The first one was easy. Never cross the Sanctuary’s boundary without Tovah’s permission. We were told it was to protect us from a curse that would turn us against each other. It had something to do with the war. People and angels who did leave never returned—except for Lukas.
It was the second rule that killed Hannah. I looked up at the top of Flathead Mountain, the place where the guardians carried out their punishment, and remembered the day Sylas left.
I didn’t blame Sylas for wanting to escape the memory of watching Hannah’s downy white wings being ripped from her back, pained baby blue eyes crying for mercy, or the sound of her screams as fire charred her sweet face. I wanted to escape it, too. Sylas blamed himself because the second rule was meant for the angels, not us. Angels were not allowed to have romantic relationships with humans.
Tovah had asked him to stay, almost pleading with him for understanding. What was there to understand? She had allowed the guardians to end Hannah’s life when she could’ve stopped them. She was their leader. If she had only said something, Hannah would still be alive today.
I gazed past the poplar trees into the vast valley. It looked just like the Sanctuary with lush green fields filled with wildflowers and butterflies. Snowcapped mountains lined the horizon with a clear blue sky as a backdrop.
“Come on, Senna. I’ll even give you a ride back to the village. You can hit up my mom for those cookies.” He held out his hand as his eyes flicked nervously to the boundary.
Something was off.
“I’ll stop by later. I want to look for another book to read to Lily.” It wasn’t a total lie. Lily loved hearing stories about exotic animals like lions and elephants.
When I was Lily’s age, I spent hours in the library listening to Big John’s stories about the old world and how it was filled with people who didn’t know that angels or witches existed. He talked about moving metal boxes that transported people from place to place and about cities with huge populations. There was even an electronic tablet for entertainment that allowed communication over long distances.
While Lukas and his parents worked in the fields during the day, I’d watch over Lily and take her to the library to hear the same stories. We’d take home an armful of books, and I’d read to her every chance I got. I’d never felt so close to Hannah as I did when sitting next to Lily’s bed with the soft lantern light glowing as I read. Hannah had done the same for me.
I gulped, pushing thoughts of her aside to focus on making Lukas believe I would never cross the boundary without Tovah’s approval.
Lukas’s jaw tensed as he looked to the poplar trees and then back at me. I was such a bad liar. I was surprised he didn’t toss me over his shoulder and drag me back to the village.
“Don’t look so worried. I’m just going to hang out here for a while. Besides, even if I did go past the boundary—which I won’t—you said there was nothing out there but empty fields.” It was what he told me every time I questioned him about his time away from the Sanctuary last year.
Tovah made sure all the children in the village knew about the dangers outside the Sanctuary and how there were few survivors after the war. They lived in a place far away in what was once known as the city of Las Vegas, and that the survivors here were very lucky to be safe within the Sanctuary’s protection. Although, I overheard some of the adults talking longingly about Vegas and how there still may be electricity there. It made me wonder how dangerous it really was there.
Lukas schooled his face and coughed out a laugh. “I’m not worried, squirt. This”—he motioned a hand over his face—“is called reminiscing on how nice and quiet it was out there. For someone who’s eighteen, you sure do whine a lot.”
“I don’t whine, and I told you to stop calling me squirt. You know that—” I paused when he arched an eyebrow.
Damn it! I was whining. I couldn’t help if it annoyed me that everyone was at least two feet taller than me. Lukas was as tall as most of the angels, and, if I were being honest, just as attractive.
It was easy to tell the difference between humans and angels, even though they rarely showed their wings. Guardians were tall, slender, and stunning. Their skin had a slight glow that radiated their beauty even more. They moved with fluid grace even when working.
“I’m just kidding. Really, Senna, get a sense of humor or something. Even Tovah laughs at my jokes. Seriously, you’re not coming back with me?”
“Look, I’m just going to pop into the library for a bit and then straight to your place. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, tops. Besides, I have my crossbow with me.”
“Well…” He brushed a hand through his dark hair. “All right, just don’t cross the boundary, okay?”
“I won’t. I promise.” The moment Lukas was gone, I turned on my heel and headed straight to the poplar trees.
I never thought that breaking my word would take away someone else’s life.
2
A strange voice stopped me a couple of feet from the Sanctuary’s boundary. Craning my neck slowly, I took in the majesty of the poplar trees. The leaves fluttered as the wind blew, carrying Tovah’s warnings.
Do not cross the Sanctuary’s boundary. It’s forbidden.
I should’ve been afraid of Tovah, but for some reason, I wasn’t. To be honest, neither were the others in the Sanctuary. The adults who remembered the war saw Tovah as their savior and understood her reason for allowing Hannah’s punishment. The only ones who didn’t were Lukas’s parents. Although they never said anything against Tovah, they were always cautious when around her and very protective of me. After Hannah died and Sylas left, they let me stay with them when I refused to go home. It wasn’t until I became really sick that Tovah insisted she take me back. It was around that time that the voices started.
It was subtle at first, and I rarely heard them. It took me a few years of looking inside closed cabinets and under the bed to realize the voices I heard were not Big John or the other guardians playing hide and seek. Funny how the voices were always from people I was closest to.
When I turned fourteen, the voices turned to visions. It was like I could see what other people were thinking. The sporadic pictures running in my head seemed to come from outside of me. It was weird, and I still can’t explain it. Even though I hadn’t told anyone, except Lukas, I couldn’t shake the feeling that all the guardians knew about it and were watching me, especially Coretha. I had no clue why, but from the way Coretha’s dark eyes narrowed every time I ran into her, I knew she didn’t like me.
I looked back to make sure no one was around. In the distance, the village’s vegetable gardens were empty. Tendrils of smoke spiraled out from cottage chimneys as the evening meal was prepared. There wasn’t anyone in sight.
If I was going to do this, I’d better make it quick. Tovah always sent Big John to look for me if I was away from th
e village too long.
Taking a deep breath, I made my way through the knee-high grass. My heart pounded as I inched my way to the trees. The air felt strangely warmer, each step I took making sweat bead on my forehead.
The moment my toes touched the edge of the boundary, I saw the flickering light again. I paused, placing my palm against the tree, and studied it. The light looked impossibly brighter. Something was different.
I turned to the village and studied the sky. Back and forth, I looked from the sky behind me to the one in front of me. My mouth went dry when I realized what it was.
The sky in front of me was brighter. How was that possible?
A strong breeze blasted through the trees, shaking them. Their branches waved as if signaling a warning. I shivered.
“Stop it. You’re being silly.” I chuckled. Lukas had said there was nothing special beyond the boundary. He’d said he walked for miles and all he’d seen were fields, trees, and maybe a few deer.
I can do this. Two more steps and I would officially be over the boundary. From where I stood, there would be nothing to see but tall grass and wildflowers. No biggie.
Placing my hand on my chest, I gripped the leather strap of my crossbow. When I took a step, a scream pierced the still air. In an instant, my crossbow was off my back and aimed in the direction of the noise.
From across the opposite side of the field, a small figure stumbled from a cluster of trees. I hunched down in the grass, keeping my aim as the person ran through the field. I couldn’t tell if it was an angel or a human. Every inch of his body was covered in strange clothing. A charcoal-colored hood hung low over the figure’s head. Dark green bandages were wrapped around his hands and thin arms with only slender fingers peeking out. His clothing was torn in spots and covered in a heavy layer of dust.